Improvement in fire-proof floors and ceilings



l. HoDGsoN & w. H. BROWN'.

lmprovementin Fire-Proof Floors and Ceilings.V

Patented July 30,1972.

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N UNITED .STATES PATENT @Enron ISAAC HOIDGSON AND WILLIAM H. BROVN, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIAA.

iMP-RQVEMENT In `Flut-PuooF'FLoons AND canines.

Specification forming. part of Letters Patent No, 129,955, dated July 30, 1872; antedated July 29, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ISAAC HODGSON and WILLIAM H. BROWN, of the city of Indianapolis1 in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Fire-Proof Floors and Ceilings, of which the following is a specification:

The invention claimed under this patent relates more particularly to certain improvements upon the invention for lwhich Letters Patent No.115,472 were granted to us jointly,

i and bear date May 30, 1871; and our said invention consists of a new method of and devlces for securing the horizontal anged grooved transverse plates or beams to iianged 4 hoor-beams, to which theperfor'ated lath-suspenders are also secured; also, in the arrangement of the ceiling and metallic lathing upon iron Suspenders beneath the flanged base of the floor-beams in connection with having the lower anges of said beams passing through `the lath-suspenders directly above a concrete bed formed upon and above said metallic laths and plastering; the object of the said improvements being to cons ruct thoroughly ing the 'floor-beams, and t struction cheaper, and to render the conord protection to re-proofiloors and ceilingvithout overloadthe lower anges of the floor-beams from the section, on an enlarged scale, of the transverse grooved plates or hollow beams to which the flooring is secured, andthe manner of supporting the corrugated plates to and between said beams.

The following description will enable skilled artisans to make and apply our invention'.

The iron floor-beamsA are, in thelexample shown, flanged at top and bottom and arranged at suitable distances apart, and to the I upper iianges whereof the grooved transverse plates or beams B are attached so as to extend across the floor-beams at right angles thereto. They are rolled with ilanges C in their crosssection and riveted together in pairs, with suitable washers,between and through which the rivet-bolts pass. B to the floor-beams is made by lugs M, which are so riveted to the under side of the iiangc of each plate B as to allow them to be turned upon their rivets and driven under the iianges of the floor-beam, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The corrugated plates G are supported upon the flanges C, to which they are iirmly riveted between the transverse plates B, as shown in Fig. 3. The flooring F is supported upon the upper edges ofthe grooved plates B and locked thereto by means of iron dogs E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in a manner fully described in my aforesaid patent. The corrugated metalplates G are arranged to support a concrete bed, H, rising above the corrngations for deafening the door, the concrete being filled in between and upon the plates G even with the top of the transverse beams B, thus forming a true and evenbed, upon which the floor-boards will .rest solidly throughout. The lath-suspenderI is cut out nearits ends at the upper edge to fit over andA upon the lower flanges of the beams A, and thus be suspended by said anges. extends beyond the beams A for riveting to the end of the adjoining suspender. They are perforated throughout their length near their lower edges, beneath the iianges of the beams A for the reception of the hollow metallic laths J, arranged at such distances apart as to form a lattice-support for a concrete bed, K, filled in upon the top of the laths so as to present a rough and jagged surface beneath, to which,y in connection with the hollow laths, the plastering L will firmly key. The solid bed of concrete, plastering, and metallic laths are therefore arranged below the lower iian ges of the Hoor-beams, with the concrete extending above the laths, thus intervening a solid bed betweenthe ceiling and the iianges of the door-beams, by which the ceiling is suspended, which affords a perfect protection to the said iianges against the action of fire. The lath-suspenders I, being supported near each end upon the floor-beams A, are liable to sag The fastening of the plates Each end of the suspender i between the beams; and to prevent this we arrange between the beams A suspending and bracing strips N, at as frequent intervals as necessary, being riveted by one end to the lath-suspending plates I, and extending up between th'e transverse plates B, to which they are also secured, as shown in 'Fi g. l of the drawing.

This mode of reprooiin g `floors and ceilings obviates the necessity of the great weight incurred Where brick arches are used, thus Vpermitting the use of a lighter construction' throughout the entire building; moreover, there being no lateral thrusts in vany direction, tie-rods are unnecessary. The corrugated plates, being firmly riveted to the flanges of the transverse beams, thoroughly bridge the floor in every direction.

Having described our inventiomwe claim- Witnesses:

H. R. TAYLOR, ARTHUR DAVIS. 

